A dead goral is seen on the side of Misiryeong Road in Seorak National Park on April 4. Courtesy of the National Park Conservation Network

The long-tailed goral, a species both classified as endangered and recognized as a national treasure, has faced significant mortality issues over the past five years, with six out of 10 deaths attributed to exhaustion and starvation.

This issue is especially severe in the regions of Hwacheon and Yanggu in Gangwon Province, near the demilitarized zone, where approximately 80 percent of goral deaths have occurred, with 77.4 percent dying from starvation.

An in-depth analysis conducted by the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, in collaboration with the civic group the National Park Conservation Network (NPCN), reviewed 549 death reports submitted to the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) from November 2019 to February 2024.

This study marks the first attempt to systematically analyze the causes of death among these mountain gorals. Results indicate that 60 percent of the deaths were due to exhaustion and subsequent starvation.

Considering that 27.5 percent of the cases involved remains too decomposed to determine a cause of death or remains that were not recovered, the actual rate of starvation-related deaths could be even higher.

Other factors contributing to goral mortality include injuries (4.7 percent), infections (1.3 percent), attacks by stray dogs (0.9 percent), and deaths caused by entanglement in nets or suffocation (0.7 percent).

Specific incidents such as falls, drowning, and trapping were also noted. The regions of Hwacheon and Yanggu, heavily fenced due to concerns about African Swine Fever (ASF) and local farming, accounted for 76.3 percent of all goral deaths, emphasizing the likelihood that these animals were isolated by barriers that prevented them from accessing food.

This young goral was found dead, presumed to be from exhaustion, after losing its mother. / Courtesy of the Cultural Heritage Administrata

Of the gorals discovered, 79.2 percent were already dead at the time of recovery, with the remainder dying during transport or while under care.

The data showed a higher mortality rate among juveniles (0–2 years) and older animals (over 8 years), at 19.7 percent and 31.1 percent, respectively, compared to adults (3– 7 years) at 12.9 percent. Males had a higher mortality rate at 34.6 percent, compared to females at 20.9 percent.

Cho Jae-woon, director of the Yanggu Goral and Musk Deer Center, said, "Young or elderly males, pushed out during territorial disputes and compounded by severe snow and rain, found it increasingly difficult to find food, leading to higher death rates."

This dire situation highlights the urgent need for the government to develop effective measures to address and mitigate these alarming trends in goral mortality.

Two gorals are seen on a road in Omiri, Yanggu County, Gangwon Province. Courtesy of the National Park Conservation Network

Experts and environmental advocacy groups are advocating for the standardization and digitization of goral death reporting processes to better formulate conservation strategies for the animals.

This push comes in response to a tragic winter for the goats where approximately 750 gorals perished, with many attributing their deaths to barriers erected to prevent the spread of ASF.

The Ministry of Environment estimates a substantial loss of mountain goral lives this past winter alone, with the fences, initially installed to halt the spread of ASF among pig farms, pinpointed as a primary cause of the mass fatalities.

In response, the ministry has announced a pilot project to open sections of these fences by May of next year. The plan involves removing approximately four meters of fencing in selected areas not in the vicinity of pig farms and recently affected ASF zones, followed by careful monitoring.

However, there is already skepticism about the effectiveness of this monitoring. Critics argue that without proper analysis of the specific locations and causes of the mountain gorals' deaths, policymaking remains inadequately informed.

A goral is seen by a fence beside a road in Omiri, Yanggu County, Gangwon Province. Courtesy of the National Park Conservation Network

Furthermore, it has come to light that there is a significant lack of information sharing not only between different government bodies, such as the Ministry of Environment and the CHA, but also within the Environment Ministry itself.

Jung In-cheol, secretary-general of the NPCN, has voiced criticism over the government's approach. "Identifying the causes should be based on official records and thorough analysis. Yet, the government has failed to uphold even this fundamental practice," he said.

Jung said that without grounding research and measures in solid goral data, such as their appearances, location of death, rescue sites, and other signs — like animal droppings — any contracted research or proposed measures remain meaningless.

Jung identified dismantling the ASF barriers as a crucial step. "We need to establish more substantial measures for the conservation of mountain gorals and their natural environments," he said, highlighting the urgency of rethinking current conservation strategies to prevent future tragedies.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.